| Being prepared is the keystone to any successful | | | | advanced hunters may find them unnecessary. |
| hunting trip. That means having the right gear ready | | | | Sharpening The Blade |
| when you need it. It also means having that gear in | | | | There are two basic steps to correctly sharpening a |
| working order for the tasks at hand. You can own | | | | blade. The first is to develop a burr, or, a rough, |
| the most expensive hunting knife on the market but | | | | ragged edge on the surface of the blade. Once that |
| if it is not properly sharpened, it will be useless. Knife | | | | is created, the blade then needs to be polished until |
| sharpening is one of the most commonly overlooked | | | | the edge is smooth. |
| aspects of hunting trip preparedness. With just some | | | | To develop a burr, first set the angle of the blade |
| basic sharpening knowledge and a couple of simple | | | | correctly and then grind one side until you have |
| tools, however, any hunter can be sure to have their | | | | removed the old edge. Continue grinding until you can |
| knife ready. | | | | feel the burr with your thumb; it should feel jagged |
| Testing Your Blade | | | | and serrated. Once you have a nice burr on one side, |
| A number of simple tests exist to test the sharpness | | | | flip the blade over and raise a burr on the other. |
| of your hunting knife. Some outdoorsmen test a | | | | Keep in mind that some knives (ceramic and very |
| knife's sharpness by shaving a small patch of hair on | | | | hard steel primarily) will not raise a burr. If you've |
| their arms or hands. This test is quick and effective | | | | tried raising a burr on your blade without any |
| but, let's be honest, a little dangerous for a novice. | | | | success, you may have one of these kinds. Consult a |
| For those not confident that they can tell their blade | | | | professional for information on sharpening these |
| is dull, there are blade edge testing kits available at | | | | blades. |
| through outdoor equipment retailers. These kits can | | | | Once you've raised a burr on your blade take the |
| be expensive. | | | | time to put some finishing touches on your knife by |
| Experienced hunters can often tell if a blade is dull | | | | polishing the blade. There are three basic polishing |
| just by looking at it. To visually look for dullness, hold | | | | strokes you can use to finish the sharpening process |
| the blade with the edge in line with a strong light | | | | - on-stroke, off-stroke, or circular strokes. The |
| source and move it back and forth a bit. If you see | | | | off-stroke is the easiest technique for beginners. |
| a reflection or glint then you have a dull blade. If all | | | | Begin to grind away the burr made by the first stone |
| else fails, walk into your outdoor goods store and | | | | you used. The burr should gradually begin to fade. |
| ask a professional to help you assess knife | | | | Once it is almost undetectable, switch to the circular |
| sharpness. | | | | stroke and finish grinding off the old scratch pattern. |
| The Right Tools | | | | Finish up by using light strokes to get rid of the |
| Once you have concluded that your knife needs | | | | remaining burr. At this point your blade should be |
| sharpening, you will need to get your hands on the | | | | extremely sharp, with no burr and only |
| right sharpening equipment. Sharpening stones are | | | | micro-serrations. |
| effective, commonly used, and come in a variety of | | | | Don't be afraid to ask professionals for help. |
| styles and sizes. When purchasing a stone, look for | | | | Woodworkers and butchers are usually more qualified |
| one made from compounds with a relative hardness | | | | in the art of sharpening than knife makers or |
| of 9 or higher. Stones made from bonded aluminum | | | | collectors. Ask one in your area if they can assist you |
| oxide or silicon carbide work very well, as does silicon | | | | or provide you with some simple techniques. |
| carbide sandpaper glued to a wooden block or | | | | It is important for all your hunting tools to be in prime |
| something similar. | | | | condition before you go on a trip, and your knife is |
| A sharpening guide is a clamp-like tool that attaches | | | | no exception. With these tools and proper techniques |
| to the blade of the knife and aids in controlling the | | | | you can effectively sharpen your knife before or |
| angle of the blade. This may be helpful for notice | | | | during your trip and not have to worry about the |
| knife sharpeners because they are the only way to | | | | problems a dull blade can cause. |
| guarantee an accurate sharpening angle. More | | | | |